It’s been 2 years now since I visited this wonderful country. And I think I still haven’t fully recovered. From its astonishing nature, its amazing and hospitable people to its general sense of exquisite beauty.

Putting into words what New Zealand means is quite difficult. Not trying to sound as a cliché, but it truly IS something you have to experience for yourself.
It’s kind of similar as trying to describe a picture. There are the most wonderful pictures in existence, but how do you explain the feeling you get when you’re there at that exact moment. Like when you drive through the most beautiful mountains, thick forest and winding roads only to arrive in the view of Milford Sound. Or the moment you’re swimming with untrained dolphins in the wild, never feeling more peaceful in your life. Or the time you make eye contact with a sea lion resting on the beach. And you know, you just know this is what life is supposed to be about.

They say:
“What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print.” But maybe all the entries at Blog4NZ will inspire you.
I tried blogging about my adventure the best I could while I was there (NZ entries here) I hope someday you will give New Zealand a chance and make your own memories in this breathtaking part of the world.

(just be prepared when you’re visiting other countries and someone says “isn’t this beautiful” you’ll always reply with “oh yes, that’s nice. BUT IN NZ HOWEVER…” obnoxiously so)

“I discovered that even the mediocre can have adventures and even the fearful can achieve.” (New Zealander Sir Hillary – the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest)

in the meantime i’m wasting all my time playing at

http://fromanothertime.tumblr.com

This also means i’m gonna live in hostels again. Cheap accomodation, the number one priority for the backpacker! Actually, cheap anything…Hopefully this time I won’t encounter rats and/or bedbugs in my room. hehe.

Should I go backpacking in Australia or the east-coast in the US? Best take the cheapest option…Why can’t it all be as cheap as NZ!!!

Routine, you are what I despise the most! I miss NZ, I really do. I’ve been looking at live traffic cams awhile ago. Is this normal? I think not, TRAFFIC CAMS…Sad sad sad.

Let’s see, what else have I been doing since I got back…
Kicked ass in Guitar Hero (evidently), observed an ant colony in the backyard (fascinating!), caught up with episodes of some of my favorite shows (here comes the funcooooker), hugged my guitar, struggled with driving on the right again (how can one month of driving on the other side mess with your head that much, brain I do not understand you; I really don’t), finally started reading “A short history of nearly everything”

Did you know Newton was a real eccentric person who did things like putting needles in his eyesocket, just to see what would happen?
Did you know at this moment the earth is spinning 1000km/h?
Did you know about 4 billion years ago a huge object crashed into the earth, blowing out material which later would form the moon?

Well, now you do Read it, you will be amazed…

[insert obvious plug]

sogopro.com

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cheers cheers and cheers!

PS I plan on buying another one soon, so know your gift was not in vain

My last day in NZ was great! Who knew waiting at the airport for 8 hours could be fun?
I got to talking with a woman who just came back from her birthplace, one of the Cook Islands. She gave me a rare blue pearl, which is supposed to absorb all the negative energy. She brought them with her for her family, but gave me one, a complete stranger. Damn, kiwis are nice!
We also played on her ukelele for awhile. I kinda sucked at it, but it didn’t matter…people seemed to like it ) We should’ve put a hat down or something hehe

That’s what i’m gonna miss the most I think. People are so open and free in NZ. I could do something like that overhere too, but I won’t. Why? Because people are different here, and somehow I close down a bit again. I noticed it from the moment I set foot in Europe, it’s difficult to explain but it’s a whole different atmosphere…

There’s a lot of other things I miss too
I miss
how when you sit alone, EVERYTIME someone stops to talk to you and asks how you are doing
people saying “thank you” to the busdriver
how when you ask for directions and get to talking, you get offered a job
how you go to a bar and you get offered a job
how you can buy fruit on the side of the road without anyone standing by it. in other words, how they still rely on the goodness of people
I miss when you ask for the busstop, you get a ride to where ever you are going
how they don’t mind doing a detour to get you to a place, even if you keep insisting they don’t have to do that
how people smile at you when you walk on the street
how people still go barefoot to the supermarket, and no one thinks twice about it
I miss the names of the places like ‘Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateap’

I guess I’ll miss it all, but it’s good to be home too. I missed my friends, a lot!

I think i’m gonna be sick of flying for awhile. Just took the plane from Christchurch to Auckland, on the 7th there’s the 25 hour flight to London, and then another short one to Brussels.
Kinda funny considering less than a year ago I was terrified of getting on a plane. Why am I always afraid of things I haven’t experienced before? They never turn out nearly as bad as I thought they would be…

Anyway, so I’m back in Mount Eden (Auckland) for a couple of days… outside the bustle of the city. As I was walking to the supermarket, I was kinda reminiscing about all the things I experienced since the last time I walked on that road. I think it still hasn’t completely sunk in, i’m still stuck in a dreamworld…

So as I mentioned above, i’m taking a plane back home in a couple of days. I can see the questions coming already…Wasn’t it fun? Why are you coming home so soon?

All I can say is, I had the most amazing time of my life! But why does it have to be measured in time? Isn’t it the experience that counts? I’ve learned more in this past month and a half than I ever learned in my entire life. I could’ve easily stayed another 2 months and had the crappiest time ever. Or sure, I could’ve had the most amazing time too.
But you know what?. Backpacking is not like going on a relaxing holiday.

It’s trying to get a place to sleep before the night falls
It’s finally getting a bit adjusted to a town, only to leave again after a couple of days
It’s hoping the kitchen is clean enough to not get an infection
It’s trying to be the first in the shower so you can still have a hot shower
It’s sharing a bathroom with tons of people you have only just met
It’s making connections and really get to know people, only to see them leave after a couple of days
It’s getting lost in the middle of nowhere
It’s not getting enough sleep, ‘cause a lot of hostels have very thin walls
It’s trying not to get mad when people are frustrated when you can’t find the right word right away
It’s being the furthest from your comfort zone possible

But at the same time

It’s seeing the most amazing things in the most beautiful country in the world
It’s exciting to get up in the morning, every single day
It’s living life to the fullest
It’s about NOT having to compromise, about anything
It’s getting to know so many perspectives from so many people from all over the world
It’s learning about the world, people, yourself, cultures, places, life
It’s being free

DAMN, maybe I did make the wrong choice! J That’s the thing, my mind is all over the place all the time. The past few weeks I kept pondering, should I stay or should I go…I literally changed my mind every 5 seconds…

But I should follow my instincts and they tell me it’s time to go back home. Besides, there’s still so much of the world I have to see! AND i’m definitely coming back to NZ, maybe in a couple of years…Time to explore some new territory first…

See ya back home
cheers

Got my first tattoo yesterday! I’ve been wanting one for years, but only if it really meant something…which this one definitely does.

Today I took the ’Southern scenic route’ through the Catlins,about 150km south of Dunedin. As the name says, it’s a very beautiful drive.
I’m gonna let the pictures speak for themselves.

baby seals again!

a few of the 40 million sheep that roam about overhere

A sea lion

cheers

Queenstown: the adventure capital! But if you’re like me, and you don’t feel the need to jump off a bridge or out of a plane, there’s nothing much to do here. It’s also a lot smaller than I imagined it to be. You know how you hear so much about something, you make it bigger in your head? I don’t know, kinda disappointed I guess.

Still, amazing views again, especially ‘the remarkables’ which you can see in the background

The remarkables…what a perfect name. You got to give it to the kiwis, they don’t beat around the bush and just tell it like it is. F ex On the peninsula I knew exactly what to expect when I took the ‘high cliff road’ (not to be repeated btw), ‘high street’ yep that’s what it is…

Right now i’m back in Dunedin, ‘cause well I like it here…and I have to drop off the rental car in Christchurch next week, hopefully in a perfect state. Didn’t have much trouble on the road since the accident, EXCEPT for having a flat tire…but that’s a whole other story which involved missing parts for changing tires, not knowing where the hell you are, reporting wrong locations and chasing the sun.

Btw, the drive from Te Anau to Queenstown was great! I love the roadsigns in the more remote areas… Yesterday I saw a sign saying: Slow down! No doctor. No hospital. One cemetery. :}
And then there is this one…

I passed, and went to Macdonalds instead ( which is probably even worse…)